Tie-plate



(No Model.)

W. GOLDIE.

TIE PLATE.

N0. 485,030. Patented 001:. 25, 1892.

humor umm. Cmlfi'w UNITED STATES PATENT O-EEicE.

WVILLIAM GOLDIE, OF VEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

Tl E-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,030, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed March 17, 1892. Serial No. 426,289. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GOLDIE,acitizen of the United States, residing at West Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tie-Plates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to improvements in tie-plates of the class in which the plate is composed of a thin strip or plate of metal introduced between the rail and tie and held in position by spikes passed through the plate and driven into the tie, the plate being especially arranged for receiving the chafing action of the rail, so as to prevent its cutting into the tie-surface.

The invention consists of a tie'plate having a central portion provided with a transverse concavity in its upper surface to receive the rail and with a transversely-convex under surface having transverse ribs on each lateral side of the convex portion and with laterally-extending end portions having spikeopenings adjacent to the edges of the central portion and provided on its upper side with a transverse rib with its inner edge coincident with the inner edge of the spike-opening; and the invention also consists in a tie-plate adapted to rest upon the tie and carry the rail and provided on the portion beneath the rail with a depressed portion having a concave upper and convex under side; and the invention also consists in the combination, arrangement, and construction of the parts and in the operation and effect of the same, as I shall presently proceed to describe in detail, and which will also be especially defined and pointed out in the claims of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a tie-plate for resting between the rail and tie, in which the middle portion, which carries the rail, will be supported in such a way as to avoid the common difficulty of depressing the middle portion and elevating the lateral portions by the action of the passing trains.

Another object is to so construct a thin tieplate as to force its lateral end portions to rest upon the tie and to retain the plate against a tendency to slide or move laterally upon the tie.

Another object is to arrange a tie-plate that can be made of a rolled-metal bar having the proper transverse contour by cutting transversely to the desired width and then punching the required spike-openings.

My invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the figures of reference used in the following description will be found designating the same parts or elements throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is an isometrical view of my improved tie-plate detached. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a railroad rail and tie and of my improved tie-plate in position for carrying the rail. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the upper surface of the tie-plate. Fig. 4: is a plan view of the under side of the same.

1 represents a railway-tie, and 2 is the common T-rail resting on the tie.

3 is a tie-plate having a depressed central portion 4-. beneath the rail and provided with a transverse concavity or depression 5 on its upper side, while its lower side is provided with a transversely-convex surface 6 beneath the part 5. On each lateral side of the concavity 5 is arranged a plane surface 7, which receives the lateral portions of the base-fiange 8 of the rail, and 9 is a transverse rib arranged across the upper side ofthe outer lateral portion 10 of the plate and with its inner edge resting against the outer edge of the rail-flange 8, and 11 is an opening out through the rib 9 and the plate, through Which and into the tie a spike 12 is driven, the head 13 of the spike reaching over upon the railflange in the ordinary way for holding the rail upon the tie. The inner lateral portion 14 of the plate, which extends beyond the rail, is provided with an opening 15 for a spike 16, which is driven into the tie and withits head portion reaching upon the inner edge of the rail-flange. The under side of the portion 4 of the plate is provided directly beneath the parts 7 with transverse outstanding ribs 17, the outer faces 18 of which are provided with abrupt surfaces standing at a right-angle with the under side of the plate, While the inner faces 19 of the ribs are of a sloping form to provide a sharp edge at the angle of the two sides, which cuts into and depresses the grain of the timber in the surface of the tie.

In practice the plates are placed between the rail and tie with the rib9 bearing against the lateral outer edge of the rail-flange 8, and the spikes 12 and 16 are then driven to hold the rail in positiontand to impress the ribs17 into the tiesurface, and also to impress the convex surface 6 into the tie until the lateral portions 10'and 14: of the plate rest firmly upon the tie-surface, the spike being again tightened down by driving to bring the parts to a firm position after a train has been passed over the road to firmly impress the outstanding ribs and convex surface between into a solid and full bearing. 7 7

It is understood that when a rail of the ordinary T form is formed by rolling the form of the under surface of the base-flange of the rail, and which rests upon the tie, is slightly raised in the middle of its width, owing to the clearance required to release the rail from the rolls, and with tie-plates of the ordinary form, having a straight or plane surface for receiving the rail, the central portion of the thin plate is depressed slightly into the tie to bring its supporting-surface to conform to the fullness of the under surface of the rail, and this depression or bending of the plates causes the lateral end portions thereof to rise from the tie, so that the plate really presents but little more surface for resting upon the tie than is "covered by the bottom of the rail, whereas by forming the depression 5 and the convex surface 6, as shown, beneath the rail the rail is caused to rest firmly upon the plate by the lateral portions of its under surface, and the convexity of the under side of the tie-plate causes the timber beneath the center of the rail to be firmly compressed to a solid bearing, so that the action of the weight of I the railtends to straighten out the curve of the depressed central portion, and thereby transfers a portion of the strain or weight carried by the plate to the lateral end portions, so that they are thereby held to snug contact with the tiesurface and form a firm and solid bearing for the rail, and prevent any canting or severing action of the rail.

It will be noticed that the full or depressed surface 6 depresses the fiber of the wood, so as to form a solidly compressed section for supporting the middle of the convexity, so that any heavy strain placed upon the lateral surfaces 7 will have a tendency to straighten out the curve of the depression until the under surface of the rail-flange comes to a full bearing on the plate, and this action going on gradually as the road is used allows the lateral end portions to retain their full bearing upon the tie'after the road has been used for a long time, as when the full bearing of the parts is obtained and the plate entirely conforms to its bearing on the tie the wood directly beneath the rail has become so compact and settled in place that slight changes only in the form of the supporting surface will obtain and a sure and reliable support for the rail is provided, and the plate being provided with the rib for contact with the outer lateral edge of the rail-flange and with the lower transverse ribs for entering the tie affords a great resistance against the lateral outward strain upon the vrail exerted by the passing trains, so that a firm and solid support against spreading the rails is provided, and at the same time a large area of surface is presented against the lateral out-er edge of the rail-flange to provide against chafing the neck of the spike.

It will be understood that the cheapest and most economical way to manufacture the tieplate is to roll a blank bar to the proper thickness and with a transverse contourcorresponding to the contour of the tie-plate and then cut off the plates to the required width and punch the spike-holes in their proper position.

Of course it will be understood that the main and most important feature of my invention is the depressed portion for supporting the rail, and while I have'illustrated the most convenient form and arrangement for general use, I do not limit my improvement entirely to the special arrangement of the parts of thetie-plate shown, as very many minor changes in the several parts can easily be made and still produce the same general result and effect, and therefore- I claim as my invention as follows:

1. A tie-plate for supporting railroad-rails and having a middle portion for carrying the rail and provided on its upper side with a transverse depression and with a transverse convexity on its under side and having lateral portions extending on each side of said IIO tions for resting on the tie-surface, substan- I tially as set forth.

4. A tie-plate for railroad-rails, consisting of a plate of metal having spike-holes on its lateral end portions and having a portion between the spike-holes provided with a transversely-concave upper side and a convex un-' der side, substantially as and for the set forth.

5. The combination of a railroad rail and purpose tie with a tie-plate between the rail and tie and having its middle portion beneath the rail providediwith a transverse concave depresdriven through said openings and into the sion on its upper side presented toward the tie, substantially as set forth.

rail, and with a convex under surface and. In testimony whereof Iaffix mysignature in transverse ribs 17 embedded into the tie, and presence of two witnesses.

with the rib 9 against the lateral outer edge WILLIAM GOLDIE.

of the rail-flange and having the lateral por- Witnesses: tions 10 and 14 resting on the tie and pro- JAS. E. THOMAS, vided with spike-openings, and the spikes T. FLUES. 

